Tattoos
by Fallarnon
Summary: A bloody encounter? A mutilated psyche? How will our beloved Naruto fair against such devastating odds? And more importantly, how will it affect him?


_Another story from yours truly? How swell. My apologies for my other stories. I haven't had much motivation lately so I decided to possibly stick to shorter chapters. I prefer to see writing not as a chore, but as a means of entertainment, but recently I haven't had the desire to write and if I did do so, I would most likely not enjoy both doing so, and the final product in general. But here's a little something something to entertain yourselves with and let your mind wander. I assure you this Naruto world is much different from all the rest. Believe you me._

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It was early morning in Konoha. The streets were empty and dead silent save for the light pitter patter of rain as it came down in sheets across the immense village. It was the middle of the summer in Fire Country and with the season came the annual rainy season, rehydrating the land, causing the forests and the life within them to flourish in abundance. Often hot during the daytime in the lush, green country, it was a common occurrence for rain to fall as the temperatures dipped overnight.

And this rain was the only way a person would have been able to hear the steps of the cloaked figure as they made their way through the drenched, puddle ridden streets of the village, the soles of their sandals issuing wet splashes every time they came down onto small pools of water.

The figure's movements, while quick, showed evidence of stealth even in these conditions and at such an hour, skulking from one alleyway to the next as if to avoid detection. Back and forth the figure moved, keeping up this routine, always making sure they hadn't been spotted before moving on to the next checkpoint until finally they seemed to have reached their destination, stopping just off from a dimly lit doorway to one of the older wooden structures in Konoha.

The building was set off to the side of Konoha's wall, the gigantic defensive measure towering over the figure as they quickly looked up, eyes peering towards the top of that looming monstrosity the First Hokage had created for the village's defensive needs. Their eyes settled onto the backs of one retreating guard squad, waiting in the darkness for them to pass before approaching the doorway. Reaching out with a gloved hand, they offered the door a few quiet raps, the pattern definite and rehearsed, signaling to the occupant within.

They didn't have to wait long.

As the rain beat down across the top of their head, the soft sounds of footsteps could be heard within albeit faintly. A metal chain could be heard being undone followed by the sound of a latch turning. Then the door creaked open and a wrinkled eye stared back at them through the small gap allowed.

"The code. Give me the code," came an old, raspy, yet distinctively feminine voice from behind the door.

The figure blinked at her before offering up the answer. "One must feed the snake or else be eaten in turn." The voice was most definitely male, the words coming out deep and low, yet in a whisper so as to not attract wanted attention.

The old eye seemed to consider him for a moment longer, obviously still suspicious of of him as she ought, but gradually the door opened and he was quickly beckoned inside. "Come come. Before anyone sees you." The man did as he was told, moving into the building. The small old lady peered out into the darkness from the safety of her home, checking to see if their exchange had been noted. Satisfied, she closed the door and replaced both locks to their respective places. Then she turned and studied the man shaking away the rain from his clothes, now able to see him better with proper lighting.

The man was tall and lean with a narrow jaw and a clean shaven face. Black hair was clipped short and evenly and he seemed to radiate a certain confidence that often came from those that were well aware of their abilities. His eyes were constantly scanning his new surroundings, making sure there were no potential traps hiding in wait for him.

"Right this way," she said and beckoned him with a frail hand to follow her. He did so, trailing behind her with a hand tensed and ready to snap to a kunai if need be.

Old floorboards creaked under foot as he followed the woman down a narrow hallway. She then opened a door to the left and they proceeded down the stairs that followed. As he moved down them, he heard the steady groan of the wood beneath his feet and he half thought they would collapse under his weight. They didn't, however, and soon they were in the basement.

There was less light down here and he had to let his eyes adjust to the darkness before continuing on. Apparently knowing where everything was without the need of sight, the woman proceeded to light torches before putting them in various parts of the room, casting a dim, haunting glow across the small room.

Now able to see, he watched her move to the furthest wall to them where she placed her last torch. The firelight flickered, burning away the few cobwebs its flames managed to touch.

"Will these do?" she asked of him, standing beside ten small lumps pressed flat against the wall.

He approached, his eyes flicking first to her and then to the small figures bound and chained, their heads covered with dirty old sacks.

"That has yet to be determined," he replied. It was hard to tell in the murky light, but all the bodies seemed to be shivering, whether to the distinct chill in the air or out of fear of what was going on he didn't quite know, not that he cared either way.

Moving closer with soft steps, he made his way to the first in the line. Grabbing the top of the sack, he pulled it off and his eyes immediately began assessing his potential property.

It was a boy that stared back up at him. No more than six years old, he was frail and shivering terribly, his skin covered in a faint layer of dirt and grime showing he hadn't washed himself in weeks. A crop of brown hair cascaded down his shoulders and across his face, greasy and showing signs of matting. The lone eye that stared back at him through parted hair exhibited the fear the boy held, but the man didn't care. He never cared. He was only here to examine future bodies for his master.

After quick assessment, the man made his verdict. "He'll do." That was it. Simple for him to say, but the words said countless times before almost certainly marked the end of the boy's life. Whether in the near future or at some future point in time, the life that the boy could have had was gone once he made his decision.

He moved on then, repeating the process for the rest of the children, for they were all children, all around the same age. When finally he came to the last form, he stopped for a moment. This child wasn't shaking. They were just, still and unmoving as though dead. Curiosity dictating his actions, he removed the sack.

The man saw the golden blonde hair first, then a pair of piercing blue eyes. Whisker marked soon followed, etched across the child's cheeks. These were what caught his attention most. His master was always looking for unique children to take under his care. Perhaps this was another. Yet why did he show no fear?

Crouching down before the boy, he grabbed his chin in a leather clad grip and turned his face this way and that, examining him more closely. There wasn't much that stood out save for those marks and the eyes that continued to simply stare at him, causing even him to somewhat shudder. The eyes were almost dead, offering a look that the man had only seen in those that had come out of the last shinobi war alive, but with the memories of atrocious horrors forever etched into their brains, haunted day in and day out by those awful memories that never seemed to leave them.

So engrossed was he in staring into those eyes that he didn't see the old lady nervously shifting back and forth behind him. "I assure you he'll do just fine," she offered him, her voice overwrought with emotion.

"Is there something wrong with him?" he asked. Defective boys never lasted long and he wouldn't waste his Master's time if there was indeed something the matter with the boy.

"Of course not! He's just a little tired is all!" The old woman rushed over, a leather belt in hand. "Wake up, you insolent welp!" The belt came crashing down across the boy's face and he staggered to the side from the blow, unable to catch himself with his feet and wrists bound as he toppled to the dirty ground beneath. The woman then proceeded to beat him soundly, her actions erratic and full of a vengeful spirit, using all the strength she could muster up to back each blow she delivered. No place was safe from her and by the end of her fit of rage, the boy was finally screaming, pleading for her to stop in between the stinging blows he received.

"There," she said matter of factly, her breathing somewhat ragged after her sudden and wild exertion. She offered the prone boy one last slap across the back of the head. "See? He's fine."

The man had quickly gotten out of the way and had simply watched the vicious exchange with unemotional eyes. Every so often he would look towards the rest of the boys, but their eyes were always looking straight ahead, apparently apathetic towards what was occurring. Whether out of a desensitization, fear, or simply uncaring of the blonde boy's well being the man didn't know, but he found it oddly interesting.

Now he stared down at the boy, now covered in bright welts that would surely morph into purple and blue splotched over the next few hours.

"I see…" he said slowly, rising from his crouch. Reaching into a pocket, he pulled out a small pouch and upon opening it, began to count out the money.

"This should do it for all ten," he said and handed her the amount owed.

The money was instantly snatched from him and she began to count with greedy eyes. After she had counted, her fingers tightened around the cash and her face assumed an indignant, irritated look. "Who do you think you're trying to fool? I want all my money."

The man stared at her, neither impressed nor fearful. Placed under that flat look the old woman took an involuntary step back and whether she did so out of fear or a natural instinct to shirk away from that which had the potential to snap without warning was unknown. His answer came then, crisp and to the point. "You damaged property so I took it out of your payment. If you have a problem with this let me remind you of something." A dagger appeared in his hand. "I've killed for a lot less. I could have easily taken the compensation with your life so be thankful I'm in a rather forgiving mood." The dagger flicked out of existence and he turned to face the children. "Now if you'll excuse me."

The sound of grating teeth reached his ears, but he paid no mind to it. She'd comply or die, it was that simple.

Raising a hand to his mouth, he bit down hard on the calloused tip of his thumb. A few drops of blood oozed from the bite and he performed a few hand seals, finally slamming his palm onto the floor once done. A burst of white smoke followed and then a huge snake was there, its twenty foot length coiled up tightly. Slitted eyes turned and regarded its summoner curiously.

The man didn't immediately answer the silent request for an order, instead forming the tiger seal. Small white feathers appeared over his head and slowly began to drift down and fall about the boys, the genjutsu he cast quickly knocking them out, their faces taking on a much more peaceful regard as they drifted into deep, tranquil slumber.

He watched on, making sure they were all sufficiently knocked out before cutting off the flow of chakra needed to keep the technique active. His eyes stared at the blonde for a few moments after, narrowed ever so slightly. The child had resisted his technique longer than most, attempting to shake the fast acting drowsiness away before finally succumbing to its allure. Being a high ranked genjutsu in itself, many people, including shinobi, had a hard time resisting the hypnotic effects it gave off so the small act of rebellion left the man was impressed, if marginally so.

"Keys," he ordered, his gloved palm poised behind him in wait. When no keys came he turned and sighed exasperatedly when he saw the old woman sprawled out across the floor, snoring obnoxiously. He should have predicted that would happen. Shaking his head resignedly, he walked over to her and began rummaging through her pockets. Finding the keys, he then went through the arduous and rather irritating task of figuring out which keys unlocked which of the chain locks. After many a trial and error, the final chain fell heavily to the floor and he stepped back. He turned black eyes on the snake, in whom had been simply staring on, the process the same as always.

"Take them," he ordered, cocking his head towards the unconscious children.

The snake flicked its forked tongue once before shifting forward. Moving to the first child, it opened its jaws impossibly wide. Its long tongue flicked out and wrapped about the brunette's legs. Slowly it dragged the child's body into its gaping mouth, clamping down once the head had passed its fangs.

The man heard a loud gulp and watched as a large lump began to shift slowly down the snake's elongated form. It repeated the process nine more times and once done, it turned to him for further instructions.

"Keep them until I call you next." The snake nodded its bulky head then disappeared abruptly in a cloud of smoke.

He was about to make his escape when two foot-long snakes that he had previously set on guard outside came slithering in. He crouched and let one of them make its way to his extended arm, coiling about it before fixing slitted eyes on him.

This snake was one of his favorites. Since his work was mostly done in the silent shadows, he often utilized its type when on missions such as this. It was able to communicate with its mind, forgoing speech and thus reducing the likelihood of detection. It conveyed its message then.

"Two Anbu?" he questioned, his brows furrowed in confusion. The snake nodded and then went on to say they had been keeping guard on the building. Thinking it best to silence any possible witnesses, he and his brother had taken care of the two before coming to him.

'How unusual' he mused. Why would shinobi belonging to Konoha's highest and most secretive force be watching this building. His mind drifted back to that blonde haired child, wondering if he had anything to do with it. He shook his head. Best to leave now and ponder this at a later and more secure time.

He released the two snakes and summoned another, larger snake. The reptile regarded him before opening its mouth wide, wide enough for him to step his long frame in without having to duck his head. Hr wrapped his cloak tightly about him, placing a cloth about his mouth and nose. It was true, snakes were very useful in many a regard, but he rather despised getting their slime all over him. He was a man of style after all, always needing to look presentable no matter the occasion.

"Take me home," he ordered it and the snake's mouth slowly closed about him, shutting him off from the dim glow of the room he had previously inhabited.

In all regard, it is rather difficult for anyone, no matter the skill, to sneak their way into a powerhouse shinobi village like Konoha. There were always guards watching the passes, their patterns purposely erratic and unpredictable so someone like him could not discern and take advantage of a specific routine. That being said, it was by far an easier task to leave a shinobi village, especially when those same shinobi that watched foward had their backs to the village, believing any threat that might present itself would come from the front and not behind and from their beloved village.

This was how the larger than average snake was easily able to bypass and sneak by the guards, slithering its bulging form into the thick underbrush of the forest beyond and disappearing into the night, its passenger neatly stowed away within it, leaving those behind none the wiser.

* * *

 _At first when I started writing this chapter of the story, I figured I'd go farther in. But I thought better of it and will be posting shorter stories than my usual 10k worded ones. It's just for me to hopefully crank out more chapters than I have obviously been because while I haven't been writing stories as of late, I've been feeling terrible in not doing so. So this is for both your benefit and mine._

 _-Fallarnon_


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